ARCHER LODGE – Covered Bridge Road spanning over Buffalo Creek in northern Johnston County will close starting Monday, April 1 for reconstruction.
A contractor for the state Highway Department will replace the bridge, built in the 1970s, near Prestwood Lane with a wider, two-lane span.
The road with the new bridge is scheduled to reopen by the end of this year. The detour will send drivers onto Buffalo, Wendell, Salem Church, Old Johnson and Applewhite roads.
Motorists should be careful near the work site and expect a longer commuter using the detour.
RELATED ARTICLE: Covered Bridge Road Construction To Cause Route Changes For Certain JCPS Bus Routes
This is the most information that’s been shared about the closure. DOT put up a sign saying “Road closed starting Monday” right by the intersection of Buffalo and Covered Bridge and near two other roads. It was impossible to tell what was going to close. I called the town office and they didn’t know either.
DOT has a very accessible website that has every closure and construction project listed and searchable by map as well. DriveNC.gov
I did access their website. I am very familiar with it. There was no mention of the closure. If I had known it was a bridge replacement, I could have found it in the project list but there was still nothing about the closure.
You have to click upcoming projects if the date is prior to start. It is up. I checked yesterday. Simple navigation.
From what I’ve learned is DOT and towns requesting to projects from DOT like to keep everything top-secret. Especially dealing with new construction and new roads. This cuts down on all the opposition being voiced. Then when it’s announced and everyone comes out the wood works opposing it it’s too late. And the town/DOT throws their hands up to say, well, we held this meeting and no one showed, or we ran this article in an obscure news paper to let you know about it. The meeting was a secret and the newspaper article was never meant for the public to see. Prime example, the town of benson sent out a notice for a meeting dealing with new roads in 2019 that would majorly affect residents not in the city limits. They sent the notice in a town water bill…when most of the affected people were not on town water. It’s all an act so they do what they want, when they want, to benefit the developers, real estate agents, and politicians they want.
Chances are if DOT is involved, it will take longer and cost more than expected.